US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE1559

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 001559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2015 
TAGS: MARR, SU, NL, NATO 
SUBJECT: NATO:  AIRLIFT TO THE AU IN DARFUR -- DUTCH 
RESPONSE 
 
REF: STATE 103310 
 
Classified By: CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR ANDREW SCHOFER FOR REA 
SONS 1.4 (B AND D) 
 
1. (C)  PolMilOff made reftel demarche to MFA Security Policy 
Operations Office Director Rob Gabrielse on June 3. 
Gabrielse called the demarche timely as "things were moving 
quickly" within the EU.  He said Dutch MFA Director-General 
for Security Policy Maurits Jochems had spoken with his UK 
counterpart Hugh Powell on this issue and the Dutch were 
concerned about NATO-EU competition.  The Dutch position is 
that NATO should take the lead on strategic airlift for 
Darfur. 
 
2. (C) Gabrielse noted that the European Airlift Coordination 
Cell (EACC) in Eindhoven, Netherlands, has offered its 
services to both the EU and NATO for this mission, and that 
there was discussion of coordination between the EACC and the 
NATO Allied Movement Coordination Centre.  The Netherlands 
will not support an EU lead if NATO does not agree to it. 
Gabrielse said DSACEUR was sending mixed signals, and that 
some within the EU are claiming that DSACEUR could accept a 
combination of efforts between Eindhoven and AMCC with a 
possible EU lead.  The GONL doubts this and wants to see such 
a determination in writing.  Concerning GONL efforts, there 
is no concrete Dutch offer of airlift assets to date because 
the RNLAF must fit this mission in with its commitments to 
support Dutch operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere.  The 
RNLAF would prefer to respond to a specific schedule of lift 
requirements.  Gabrielse's initial reaction to reftel request 
that the Dutch use contract airlift for strategic purposes 
was favorable, but he said the GONL would have to look into 
this further. 
 
3. (C) According to Gabrielse, the French are pushing the 
view within the EU that until recently it was not clear what 
NATO offers were extant, while  EU offers were more clear. 
His impression is that NATO is a little behind.  The Dutch 
bottom line is a preference for airlift coordination by NATO; 
however, if there is a consensus deal that all parties can 
accept, then the Netherlands will go along with it. 
Gabrielse said the main goal is to support AMIS.  PolMilOff 
noted the time and effort invested in getting NATO-EU 
cooperation right in Bosnia and said it was important to do 
the same with Darfur.  Gabrielse fully agreed.  DG Jochems 
will be in Washington on June 6 for meetings at State and DOD 
and would be fully prepared to discuss Sudan at that time, 
according to Gabrielse. 
SOBEL